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Over A Thousand Christians from Palestine And Around The World Celebrated Christmas And Commemorated The HCEF 10th Anniversary in The Annual Procession for Peace in Bethlehem

13-Jan-08
HCEF

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More than a thousand people attend HCEF ecumenical procession and prayer at the Church of the Nativity and share HCEF Staff and volunteer their 10^th anniversary Celebration.

What made the December 24^th procession of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem so particular was the many people that gathered around him, Christian from all over, Ramllah, Nablus, Jenin, Jerusalem, and the Galilee used to come specifically for on this day to be part of the day celebration and attend midnight mass. “The last seven to eight years, Bethlehem tended to lose its universal and national character, since many families are deterred from coming due to the restrictions of movement between towns and cities within the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Many preferred to stay at their different towns and villages and watch Christmas Midnight Mass on TV”. George Ghattas HCEF Vice President said. “The graver issue is that the younger generations who were born in and lived this past decade grew distant from Bethlehem, distant from the shrine and the city, the very same town that proclaimed Peace to the Universe”. He added.

Every year since 2003 HCEF organizes A Journey to Bethlehem specifically for this reason. HCEF and with the support of the local and international church keeps Bethlehem living in the memories children. On this trip they visit the church of the nativity and celebrate with their fellow Christian Brothers and sisters the miraculous birth of our lord.

A girl from Zababdeh participating in activities done at the Lutheran Parish in Beit Jala

Today and on a beautiful and sunny Sunday morning, more than 1000 children from different parishes from Nablus, Zababadeh, Ramallah, Taybeh, Ain Arik, Aboud, Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour in addition to parishes from Nazareth and Haifa celebrated mass together with seven local parishes in the Bethlehem area. Their program that started as early as 5 am included a parish program organized by our parish partnership network at the Orthodox Church of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, the Catholic Parish at Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, The Greek Catholic Parishes of Bethlehem and Beit Sahour and the Lutheran Church of Beit Jala. “ You are the future on this land and the future of its faith, keep holding on to what you have been graciously bestowed with and reach out to each other so that we all remain one” Archimandrite Issa Musleh, the Head of Public Relations at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate said to hundreds of convening children at St. Catherine Church in Bethlehem.

Archbishop Patrick Kelly, Chairman of Catholic Bishops Conference in the UK and on the advisory board of HCEF maintained “This is My third time I participate at such an ecumenical gathering and every year I see it developing into the message we should also carry back home, that churches are to become united in support of the Mother Church in Jerusalem and its children”. The procession that started at the Catholic Action Society in Bethlehem was lead by several local church leaders representing the Catholic Bishops Conference in the UK and France, from the Custody of the Holy Land, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the Greek Catholic Church as well as the Lutheran church. The march to the Nativity also included Mayor of Bethlehem, the Deputy Mayor of Beit Sahour, representative of the Palestinian Legislative Council and many other community organization and societies.

A boy from Beit Sahour (right) welcomes a boy from Taybeh (left) at the Melkite Parish in Beit Sahour.

A girl from Nablus praying in Bethlehem

The Journey to Jerusalem that is part of HCEF Jesus loves the Children Program was culminated with an ecumenical prayer for unity and peace as reiterated by all the leaders who addressed the audience with their much appreciation for such an event and reconfirmed the need to sustain a vivid relation between parishes in the Holy Land as much as sustain a bridge of awareness with churches and parishes in the west.

“We thank you all for making this day yet another success for HCEF and in helping us bringing churches, societies and cultures closer to each other in faith and solidarity”. Mr. Bill Yontz commented as he thanked on behalf of Mr. Rateb Rabie, HCEF President the Board of Directors and all HCEF staff, the attending audience, Church leaders, Pastors, Parish Priests, Mayors officials, Community leader Volunteers and organization who helped support the trip including the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, The Pontifical Mission for Palestine, and other private donors and sponsors.

Clergies, Mayor of Bethlehem, Christian Organizations, Volunteers and Bethlehem local community with HCEF staff at the reception that followed the procession.